What is your teaching philosophy?

The opportunity to help students develop sound writing skills motivates me to continually develop myself as a language teacher. I intend to share various methods with students for decoding language, making inferences, and otherwise grasping meaning so they are better able to succeed in language and social science settings.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

I begin with basic introductions whether online or in person. A typical first session starts with the student bringing me up to speed on progress or expectations for our session(s). Then, we look at relevant materials and come up with a plan for our time.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I encourage students to build on their own ideas so they begin to see the value of the thoughts they already have, which I believe is one of the keys to growth as a student and writer. Also, by asking questions, I am able to use ideas provided directly from students to point out the significance or usefulness of the ideas or understandings they possess to any given topic we cover.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I try to bring up the most interesting points about history when that is the area of study, and when talking about language and writing, I use my imagination to model how language can be used for whatever purpose one intends. These methods keep students awake and interested, which in turn leads to better learning outcomes. Beyond the immediate learning experience, I offer students pointers on what to focus on so they don't lose sight of the goals they are trying to achieve. Education is a wonderful thing, so sometimes students just need to be reminded of that fact!

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

I am willing to try to discuss a skill or concept in as many ways as I can think of in order to help students understand and succeed.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

I go over a number of reading strategies with students in order to help them find methods that work for them when it comes to reading efficiently and effectively.